A company is suing a former employee for allegedly watching “astronomical amounts” of Netflix during work hours.
Canal Productions, owned by actor Robert de Niro, filed the lawsuit in New York this week against Chase Robinson, who was hired as the actor’s assistant in 2008 and was later promoted to Vice President of Production and Finance.
According to the filing, Robinson allegedly binged watched 55 episodes Friends across four working days on the company’s Netflix account.
After Robinson left the company in April, her work claims and use of the company’s Netflix account were reviewed.
It was alleged that over a four-day period in January this year, Robinson watched 55 episodes of Friends on Netflix, equating to about 21 hours. The next day, a Saturday, she is said to have watched an “impressive” 32 episodes.
The lawsuit also claims this was not an “isolated occurrence”, with Robinson also allegedly watching 20 episodes of Arrested Development and 10 episodes of Schitt’s Creek across four working days in March.
The case alleges that watching these shows on Netflix was not in any way related to Robinson’s job at the company, and that she also billed expensive fine foods to the company during these binge watches.
“Watching shows on Netflix was not in any way part of or related to the duties and responsibilities of Robinson’s employment and, on information and belief, was done for her personal entertainment, amusement and pleasure at times when she was being paid to work,” the filing claims.
“Robinson was not responsible or connected in any way with respect to the development of any artistic material for Canal.”
Robinson, who was on an annual salary of $US300,000, was said to rarely work from the company office, but when she did make an appearance, allegedly spoke of her love for these TV shows.
The case also alleges Robinson racked up huge hotel and restaurant charges on the company credit card, used millions of De Niro’s frequent flyer miles and spent nearly $32,000 on unauthorised Ubers and taxis.
Canal Productions is seeking damages of $US3 million for “disloyalty and violation of the faithless servant doctrine” and a further $3 million for the value of the funds and property “misappropriated”.